What the No. 2 Democrat in Congress taught an Iowa high school class today

Here’s what the No. 2 Democrat in the U.S. House, Steny Hoyer, taught an Iowa economics class today:

CHRISTIE VILSACK IS “ONE OF THE BEST”: “This is not a political speech because this is not a political venue, but the reason I’m out here is because I’m campaigning for her,” Hoyer told the seniors in an economics class at Ballard High School in Huxley this morning.

Vilsack, a former first lady of Iowa, is challenging 10-year Congressman Steve King for a seat in Iowa’s 4th District.

Later, he told reporters, “We believe this is one of the most important races in the country. We believe Christie Vilsack is one of the best candidates in the country, most informed most experienced, not only as a teacher who knows what it means to make society work, but also working side by side with your governor, knows what makes Iowa work.”

Hoyer has campaigned for more than 50 Democrats running for Congress so far this election cycle and raised or donated more than $3.5 million for them. On Tuesday, he did three events with Iowa’s Leonard Boswell, “who is a very close friend of mine,” and one with Dave Loebsack.

OVERSPENDING CAUSED DEBT: In his 31 years in Congress, “we put each one of you very deeply in debt. And you ought to be angry about it,” Hoyer told the students as two members of the Capitol Police kept an eye on the scene. “If you don’t know about it, you won’t be angry about it.”

“We have bought stuff and not paid for it. We have cut taxes and spent more. … We bought two wars we haven’t paid for. We bought two tax cuts we haven’t paid for. We bought a prescription drug bill, which is good for seniors, but we didn’t pay for it.”

A student noted that Hoyer didn’t support a balanced amendment last fall.

True, Hoyer said. He explained he’d voted for one in the past, but this bill had an unconstitutional provision that took power from Congress and gave it to the president.

WHAT HEGEMONY MEANS: “When I was a senior or junior in high school, there was no doubt America was pre-eminent. That was the late 50s. .. We had hegemony. I don’t know whether you know that word, it means you’ve got it all. … That’s not the case. You guys are going to have more competition than my generation. But that’s OK, because you guys are smarter than my generation.”

EVEN A DROP-OUT CAN SUCCEED: Hoyer told the students he dropped out of Princeton with 1.0 GPA. “I tell that to young people because some people, particularly us guys, don’t started as quickly as others. I know that’s not true of any of you, you’re all 4.0 students and you’re going to ace all the tests in college, but that didn’t happen to me.”

THE ECONOMY IS BETTER: There are two different views on how to make America better, Hoyer said, but “the policies we’ve put in place are having success, not enough but it’s getting better.”

WHY HEALTH INSURANCE SHOULD BE REQUIRED: “What we’ve said is the same thing Gov. Romney said in Massachusetts. We’ve got to have everybody participate,” Hoyer told reporters after class was dismissed.

He said everyone in the country needs affordable access to health care, and that need won’t go away if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the law.

The reason it’s not a good idea to let each state decide if it should require health care is because “we’re a mobile society,” Hoyer said.

“I’m in Iowa, let’s have a heart attack right now. Let’s say I don’t have insurance? Who’s responsible for that? … Tomorrow, I may be in Arizona.”